Category: Politics

Who is Brett Kavanaugh?

Kavanaugh is an attorney who has worked in the white house for 2 decades. In the Clinton era, he supported the impeachment of the president and pushed for sexually explicit details of his affair to be released to the court. Under President Bush, Kavanaugh worked as the White House Staff Secretary and later was nominated to the Court of Appeals. In Summer 2018, Trump nominated Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

Why the drama surrounding his nomination?

He’s notoriously conservative. TheWashington Post published this analysis of 200 Kavanaugh votes compared to those of his judicial counterparts, the results showing “that his judicial record is significantly more conservative than that of almost every other judge on the D.C. Circuit.”

So he’s a conservative Catholic..? And..?

And, well, a lot. Liberals are worried he’ll revoke cases like Roe v. Wade (the case that made abortion legal nationwide). Yes, the Supreme Court has that power. And Trump has already declared he wants abortion law to be set state-by-state, as he himself is against it. Luckily, he has some opponents.

So what’s the status of his nomination?

Before a nominee can take their place on the Supreme Court, the Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee (Kavanaugh) to get a testimony and ask questions. After the hearing, the committee votes, and can do 1 of 3 things: provide a recommendation in favor of Kavanaugh, recommend against Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, or give no recommendation whatsoever.

Currently, Democrats are questioning Kavanaugh in his hearing, asking him the hard questions about whether or not he would overturn Roe v. Wade. His responses haven’t been the most clear.

What are everyone’s feelings towards Kavanaugh?

Trump loves him — although sources question as to how much: some say Kavanaugh only recently made it onto Trump’s radar for his publicized remarks against abortion earlier this year.

Liberals are afraid of what he could do to Roe v. Wade. And acutely aware that his presence on the Supreme Court will swing it more conservative than it’s been for decades.

What’s next?

This past week, a letter written by a California professor revealed Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her. And she has notes from her therapy sessions and a passed lie detector test to prove it. Some senators are calling for his vote to be delayed until they can hear more.